The effect on Intelligence Quotient of Training Fluency in Relational Frames of Coordination

Introduction and Theoretical Framework

This experimental study is situated within Relational Frame Theory (RFT), a functional-contextual approach that conceptualizes thinking and language as learned relational skills. RFT proposes that relational behavior—the ability to extract relationships among stimuli and transform their functions—constitutes a fundamental foundation for higher-order cognitive functioning. Previous research has documented significant correlations between relational framing abilities and performance on intelligence tests, suggesting that training in relational frames might potentially enhance cognitive performance.

In particular, multiple exemplar training (MET) has been demonstrated as an effective strategy for teaching relational frames to individuals of various ages and developmental levels. Prior research (Cassidy, Roche, & Hayes, 2011; Ruiz, Suárez, & López, 2012; Vizcaíno Torres et al., 2015) has provided preliminary evidence that RFT-based trainings can produce significant increases in intelligence measures in both typically developing children and individuals with developmental delays. However, additional evidence was needed specifically focused on training fluency and flexibility in relational frames of coordination.

Research Objectives and Design

The primary objective of this study was to contribute additional evidence regarding the effects of training in fluency and flexibility of relational frames of coordination on intelligence quotient (IQ) in a typically developing 4-year-old child. The study employed an N=1 experimental design with a control participant, allowing intensive analysis of intra-individual changes while maintaining a comparison group.

Participants and Characteristics

Two children were recruited from the same school in Valencia, Spain. The experimental participant (SV), a boy aged 4 years and 1 month, was assigned to receive the training intervention. The control participant (DN), a girl aged 3 years and 11 months, was assigned to the control condition. Both participants showed age-appropriate social development. Notably, the participants differed in their behavioral styles: SV exhibited shy tendencies, whereas DN was more extroverted. Assignment to experimental roles was randomized, minimizing selection bias.

Measurement Instruments

Fluency in Naming Test (FNT): Developed specifically for this study, the FNT consisted of three subtests designed to assess different aspects of relational coordination ability: (1) receptive naming without temporal delay, (2) productive naming without temporal delay, and (3) receptive and productive naming with temporal delay. Each subtest included 4 pictures of unknown stimuli. The mastery criterion was established at 15 of 16 correct trials, a threshold requiring demonstrated consistency.

McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA): The MSCA (McCarthy, 1988), a widely used normative instrument for cognitive assessment in early childhood, was administered. Scores were interpreted using T-score transformations (M=50, SD=10) to obtain age-scaled indices. The General Cognitive Index (GCI) was calculated with norms of M=100 and SD=16. Five subscales were evaluated: verbal, perceptual-manipulative, numerical, memory, and motor.

Experimental Procedure

The study was organized into several clearly differentiated phases:

Pre-intervention Phase: Administration of the FNT and MSCA across three sessions, using stimulus sets 1-3 for the FNT. This phase established baseline measures of cognitive performance and relational abilities prior to training intervention.

Training Phase 1 (Visual-Auditory Coordination): Relational coordination between visual stimuli and auditory labels was trained employing the same logic as the FNT, with contingent feedback. Stimulus sets 4-20 were used across four one-hour sessions. Mastery criteria were implemented for receptive naming, productive naming, and delayed naming.

Training Phase 2 (Visual-Visual Coordination): In this phase, abstract shapes served as relational stimuli. Four conditional discriminations were trained via many-to-one matching-to-sample. Subsequently, mutual and combinatorial relations of the stimuli were tested. Notably, the experimental participant (SV) demonstrated mastery on the first attempt, suggesting rapid transfer of learning.

Training Phase 3 (Auditory-Auditory Coordination): Twenty-five short stories (8 stories about children and toys, plus 17 sets of synonyms) were presented to train relational coordination among auditory stimuli. The phase concluded when SV responded correctly to all trials across 7 consecutive story sets.

Post-intervention Phase: The FNT (sets 21-23) and MSCA were administered again to assess changes resulting from training.

Six-month Follow-up: The MSCA was administered again to evaluate stability and persistence of observed changes. It should be noted that DN was not available for this follow-up assessment.

Data Analysis and Quality Control

MSCA raw scores were interpreted using age-adjusted normative scales. Ninety percent confidence intervals were derived from the MSCA manual tables. Comprehensive quality control was implemented through inter-observer agreement evaluation, which achieved 100% agreement for correct trials, identification of responses, and feedback administration.

Results

Performance on Fluency in Naming Test (FNT):

At pre-intervention assessment, both SV and DN showed similar performances and neither met mastery criteria. At post-intervention assessment, SV demonstrated dramatic improvements, achieving mastery on all FNT subtests. In contrast, DN failed to meet mastery criteria on any of the subtests. Analysis of SV's progress during training revealed that he required 3, 10, and 4 stimulus sets to achieve mastery on receptive, productive, and mixed-delay training respectively. These data suggest an orderly and predictable progression in relational skills acquisition.

Performance in Specific Training Phases:

In Phase 2 (visual-visual coordination), SV demonstrated remarkable transfer by achieving mastery on the first attempt, requiring no additional training. In Phase 3 (auditory-auditory coordination), SV achieved mastery upon completing all correct responses in story number 25, demonstrating progressive learning in this modality of relations.

Changes in Intelligence Measures (MSCA):

Changes in raw scores were substantial. Pre-intervention, SV obtained: verbal 42, perceptual-manipulative 42.5, numerical 19, memory 20, motor 27, with raw GCI of 103.5. Post-intervention, these scores increased to: verbal 59, perceptual-manipulative 59.5, numerical 23, memory 35, motor 44, with raw GCI of 141.5. At the six-month follow-up, the raw GCI was 146.5.

Analyzing age-adjusted T-score transformations for the GCI, SV demonstrated an increase of 26 T-score points (from 106 to 132), equivalent to an increase of 1.625 standard deviations. The 90% confidence interval shifted from [99, 113] to [125, 139], representing a clinically significant improvement. The control participant (DN) showed an increase of only 10 T-score points (from 105 to 115), or 0.625 standard deviations, with 90% confidence interval from [98, 112] to [108, 122].

At six-month follow-up, SV maintained a GCI of 127 with 90% confidence interval [121, 135], slightly lower than post-intervention but substantially higher than baseline.

Subscale Gains:

SV's T-score gains exceeded 10 points on most subscales: verbal (+13), perceptual-manipulative (+18), memory (+17), and motor (+19). The numerical subscale showed more modest gain. In contrast, DN showed modest increases with the exception of memory, where she demonstrated a 16-point increase.

Qualitative Observations

SV's improvements were corroborated by anecdotal reports from his teacher, who observed changes consistent with formal measures of improvement. Additionally, SV's parents received specific guidelines to promote daily interactions facilitating relational framing in natural contexts, which potentially contributed to the stability of gains observed at follow-up.

Methodological Limitations

The authors explicitly acknowledge several important limitations. First, the small sample size (n=2) limits generalization of findings. Second, training focused exclusively on relational frames of coordination, leaving other types of relational frames unexplored. Third, the IQ assessor was not blind to experimental condition assignment, introducing potential experimenter expectancy bias. Fourth, all procedures were implemented by the first author, eliminating independence of training personnel. These limitations underscore the necessity for replication with improved methodological controls.

Significance and contribution

This study provides evidence that training in relational frames can produce measurable changes in cognitive performance in typically developing children. The findings demonstrate that direct training in fluency and flexibility of relational frames of coordination can yield significant improvements in intelligence measures. This analysis contributes to the field of educational and cognitive psychology by demonstrating the modifiability of cognitive functions through behavioral training based on RFT. However, replication with larger samples, blind assessors, and standardized training procedures will be necessary to consolidate these conclusions.

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